Opening Scenes 1960 'Oliver'

Dr. Pitt-Payne in London UK - 12 Dec 2003

Overture and Opening Scene

[The Curtain Rises:]

[A Pauper Assistant comes down the
stairs and walks to the gate:]

[He opens the gate and the boys
file in and take their places
at table:]

Act I - Food Glorious Food

[Boys:] Is it worth the waiting for?
If we live 'til eightyfour,
All we'll ever get is gruel!
Ev'ry day we say a prayer
Will they change our bill of fare?
Still we get the same old gruel!
There's not a crust,
not a crumb can we find,
can we beg,
can we borrow or cadge,
But there's nothing to stop us
from getting a thrill
when we all close our eyes
and imagine...

Food, glorious food!
Hot sausage and mustard!
While we're in the mood
[First Solo Boy:] Cold jelly and custard!
[All:] Pease pudding and saveloys
[Second Solo Boy:] "What next?"
is the question.
[All:] Rich gentlemen have it boys
Indyegestion!
Food glorious food!
We're anxious to try it.
Three banquets a day
Our favourite diet!
Just picture a great big steak
Fried, roasted or stewed.
Oh, food, wonderful food,
marvellous food,
Glorious food....

Food, glorious food!
What is there more handsome?
Gulped, swallowed or chewed
still worth a King's Ransom
What is it we dream about?
What brings on a sigh?
[First Solo Boy:] Piled peaches
and cream about
[All:] Six feet high!

Food, glorious food!
Eat right through the menu!
Just loosen your belt
Two inches and then you
Work up a new appetite
In this interlude
Then food,
[Second Solo Boy:] Once again food,
[Third Solo Boy:] Fabulous
[All:] food, Glorious food!

[One boy runs down right
and conducts the other boys:]

Food, glorious food!
Don't care what it looks like
[First Solo Boy:] Burned,
[Third Solo Boy:] underdone,
[All:] crude,
Don't care what the cook's like
Just thinking of growing fat
Our senses go reeling.
[First and Third Solo Boys:] One
moment of knowing that
[All:] full up feeling!

Food, glorious food!
What wouldn't we give for
that extra bit more
That's all that we live for
Why should we be fated to
do nothing but brood
On food,
[First Solo Boy:] magical
[All:] food,
[Second Solo Boy:] Wonderful
[All:] food,
[Third Solo Boy:] marvellous
[All:] food.
[Fourth Solo Boy:] Fabulous
[All:] food
[Oliver:] Beautiful food
[All:] Glorious food.

[The boys reach to Heaven for
imaginary food and then sink
slowly and dejectedly
to their seats:]

[Mr. Bumble enters walking solemnly
with his mace:]

[Reaching a level over the boys' heads:]

[He bangs his mace on the floor:]

[The boys look up aghast:]

[Mr. Bumble walks down the stairs:]

[Widow Corney enters and takes her
place beside Mr. Bumble:]

[Two pauper assistants enter and
take their places beside the cauldron:]

[Mr. Bumble strikes the floor
with his mace:]

[The boys rise and file past the boiler.
They are served with one ladleful each
and return to their benches:]

[Mr. Bumble intoned:] For what you
are about to receive, may The Lord
make you truly thankful.
[Boys:] Amen.

[Mr. Bumble raises his mace and holds it
aloft for several seconds. Then he brings
it smartly down:]

[The boys fall to eating
like clockwork figures:]

[The boy on Oliver's right bangs his
empty bowl on that of the boy on his
right, who in turn picks the two bowls
up and bangs them on that of the boy
on his right, and so on round the table
until the pile of bowls reaches Oliver
who snatches his away just in time:]

[Oliver rises to his feet, advances, bowl
in hand towards Mr. Bumble and stops
in front of him:]

[Oliver Spoken:] Please sir,
I want some more....

[Mr. Bumble:] "What!"
[Oliver:] "Please sir,
I want some more."
[Mr. Bumble:] "More!"

[Widow Corney:] Catch him!
[Mr. Bumble:] Snatch him!
[Widow Corney:] Hold him!
[Mr. Bumble:] Scold him!
[Widow Corney:] Pounce him!
[Mr. Bumble:] Trounce him!
[Widow Corney:] Pick him up
and bounce him!
[Mr. Bumble:] Wait! Before we
put the lad to task
May I be so curious as to ask his name?
[All the Boys spoken:] Oliver!

[Widow Corney:] Oliver! Oliver!
[Mr. Bumble:] Never before has a boy
wanted more!
[Corney and Bumble:] Oliver! Oliver!
[Mr. Bumble:] Won't ask for more
when he knows what's in store.
There's a dark, thin, winding
stairway without any bannister
which we'll throw him down,
and feed him on cockroaches
served in a cannister.
[All:] Oliver! Oliver!
[Mr. Bumble:] What will he do
when he's turned black and blue?
He will curse the day
somebody named him Oliver.

[Oliver is forced to his knees
in front of Mr. Bumble and the
boys gather round him in a
mocking circle:]

[Corney and Bumble:] Oliver! Oliver!
[Mr. Bumble:] Never before has a boy
wanted more!
[Corney and Bumble:] Oliver! Oliver!
[Widow Corney:] Won't ask for more
when he knows what's in store.
[Mr. Bumble] There's a dark, thin, winding
stairway without any bannister
which we'll throw him down,
and feed him on cockroaches
served in a cannister.
[All:] Oliver! Oliver!
[Mr. Bumble:] What will he do
when he's turned black and blue?
He will curse the day
somebody named him
[All:] Oliver.

[Widow Corney to Pauper assistants:]
"Lock him up! Find his belongings and
bring him back when you've done."
*
END OF SCENE
*
[The boys are hustled off and Mr. Bumble
and Widow Corney retire to the Widow's
parlour for tea:]

[Mr. Bumble puts down his teacup
and kisses Widow Corney:]
[Widow Corney says:] "Mr. Bumble
I shall scream!"

[Mr. Bumble:] No you wouldn't.
HeighHo, if I wanted something special,
then you shouldn't say "No"
Did I nearly catch you smiling?
Yes I did and it's beguiling.
If your hand is close I'll press it.
Yes you like it, come confess it!
Yes you, do.
[Widow Corney:] No, I don't.
[Mr. Bumble:] Yes you, do.

[Widow Corney:] I shall scream!
I shall scream!
'Til they hasten to my rescue
I shall scream.
[Mr. Bumble:] Since there's nobody
that's near us who could see us
or could hear us.
If I ask you, can I kiss you
Say what will my pretty miss do?
[Widow Corney:] I shall scream,
scream, scream!

[Mr. Bumble:] If I pinch you
one pinch from your shy protective shell
can I uninch you one inch?
Will my blithesome, buxom beauty
Let her suitor do his duty?
Tho' his lap ain't very large, dear
Sit upon it,
there's no charge, dear.
Will you sit?
[Widow Corney:] No I shan't
[Mr. Bumble:] Will you sit?
[She sits upon his lap:]

[Widow Corney:] I shall scream!
I shall scream!
For the safety of my virtue
I shall scream
Tho' your knee is rather cosy
see my cheeks are getting rosy
You would have me in your pow'r
If I sat here for an hour

[Mr. Bumble:] I shall scream,
[His Voice muffled by Widow Corney's ample bosom:]

scream,
scream!
[She gets off his lap:]

[Widow Corney:] You're a
naughty bad man.
If you think I can't be proper,
prim and haughty, I can
and you'll pardon if I mention
You must state your true intention

[Mr. Bumble:] Is there not another room here?
If there were a bride and groom here
Would there be?
[Widow Corney:] Well, there might.
[Mr. Bumble:] We shall see.

[Widow Corney:] I shall scream!
I shall scream!
At the thought of what you're thinking
I shall scream.
[Mr. Bumble:] You will wonder
where the scream went
When we come to an agreement
As my lovey dove is chubby
could she love a chubby hubby?
[Widow Corney:] I shall scream, Mr. Bumble
I shall scream BumbleWumble,
I shall scream, scream,
[Mr. Bumble whistles invitingly:]

scream!
[She sits in his lap and they embrace:]

The pauper assistants return with Oliver
who carries a small bundle.
[First Paup. Asst.:] "I've
brought the boy ma'am."

[Widow Corney and Mr. Bumble
nod to each other:]

[Widow Corney:] "Get a good price
for him, Mr. Bumble..."

[Mr. Bumble sings:] One boy
Boy for sale
He's going cheap
only seven guineas.
That or thereabout, small boy
Rather pale through lack of sleep
feed him gruel dinners.
Stop him getting stout.
If I should say he wasn't very greedy
I could not, I'd be telling you a tale.
One boy, Boy for sale
Come take a peep
Have you ever seen as
nice a boy for sale.

[Mr. Bumble spoken inside shop:] "Liberal
terms, Mister Sowerberry,
Liberal terms. Five pounds.

END OF SCENE

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
Opening Scenes from Oliver 1960
by Lionel Bart
copyright 1960 by Lakeview Mus.Pub.Co.Ltd.
sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Friday 12 December 2003 at 21.17
in association with Doug Grierson
*
This version was taken from Lionel Bart's Vocal
Score. I have sequenced it as an aid for all those
who find rehearsal pianists a bit thin on the ground
and it may be used freely and altered as needed by any
who happen upon it in their travels. James P-P :-)

Overture and Opening Scene
Food Glorious Food
Enter Mr. Bumble
Enter Widow Corney
Please Sir, I want some more
Oliver
I Shall Scream
Boy For Sale